[Edward POV]
Max's apartment looked nothing like it did in the TV series, except for the kitchen and the yard where the horse slept. After I bought the building, I reconfigured the floor plan, reducing the number of apartments from eight to six per floor.
"This place looks great." I said as I sat on the couch, placing my satchel beside me.
"You really shocked me when you did this. I thought I was in the wrong house when I returned." Max grumbled despite her happiness. Caroline had her own room now so she didn't sleep in the living room anymore. Even though the space felt smaller, it was her own, and she loved it.
"Thank you Edward for the amazing surprise." Caroline hugged me from behind.
The small one-bedroom apartment was expanded into a two-bedroom. The reconstruction was a grueling process, requiring the building to be emptied for almost three months for a complete overhaul.
While the androids could slice through steel beams with lasers from their fingertips, speeding up the actual construction, securing permits and permissions in NYC was a nightmare.
The safety officer demanded bribes, threatening to stall the project, and gang members tried to stir up trouble—it felt like every awful person in NYC was conspiring to sabotage an effort to improve Williamsburg.
Of course, I wasn't going to take that lying down. I had ten highly advanced androids, each capable of single-handedly taking over a country, working under my command.
Robin worked for the tech company, Woo-Jin handled security for the employees and myself, Mikasa and Zero-Two managed intelligence gathering, Weed oversaw construction, Ban protected the younger actors on the movie sets, Wolfgang Grimmer founded Mad Dog Publications, and then there were three more.
Two of them were stationed here in New York: Kingpin and Matt. They took control of the construction business and the city's underground gangs, ensuring a peaceful working environment for all my subsequent projects.
They also stopped the drugs from entering the city and also human trafficking, which after 2 years, had dramatically reduced the numbers of crimes in the city. The city had changed a lot thanks to the two of them, but no one could actually confirm their existence.
"Where is Chestnut?" I asked Caroline, wanting to meet the horse. The horse lived at my family ranch for two years before Caroline brought it back.
"He's already asleep. Don't bother him." Max warned me with a scary expression. She's not playing around when it comes to animals.
"Got an event to rush off to?" I asked, noticing Max and Caroline packing cupcakes into a black box with pink stripes.
Max sneered, "Another rich jerk booked our two-person special for the night. Sorry, Edward, next time try calling ahead before dropping by."
Caroline, ignoring Max's jab, clarified, "We have a delivery for the Hilton. We're hoping to promote our business to the partygoers while we're there."
Vanessa's eyes lit up. "Whose party is it?"
"It's 'The Bey'," Caroline replied hesitantly.
"The Saudi Arabian oil magnate's heir with half a billion and a penchant for blowing it on ridiculous things? Max, you might actually land a special order tonight. Though I'm not sure if he will include Caroline," I said teasingly.
Caroline gasped, her jaw dropping in mock offense, while Max laughed. Vanessa nudged my arm. "How do you know him?" she asked.
"He wanted to hire me for his birthday party. When I refused, he called me, practically in tears, begging me to come. I still refused, so he called me a bitch and hung up," I explained.
I continued, "He called back the next day to apologize and ask me to a party with him. I rejected him again, and this time, no apology."
"With a mere half a billion, he dared to try and attach himself to you. The nerve…" Vanessa said sarcastically.
I chuckled. "If he were a decent guy, I wouldn't mind hanging out. But he's the type who'd pressure his assistant to eat a hooker's crab-infested… Well, you get the idea, and laugh at the humiliation. I don't want to be around someone like that, even if he worships me."
Caroline looked stunned. "Wait, he's that kind of guy? Max, should we cancel the order? I've seen plenty of his type when I was rich. He'll definitely try to corner us if we go."
Max tossed the cupcake she was decorating back onto the tray. "Thank God. I can finally rest and stop making these stupid cupcakes!"
I laughed at Max's obvious fatigue. Since the store opened six months ago, they'd achieved considerable success, largely due to viral marketing and Max's insult-laden cupcakes. Turning the store into a dessert bar after 8 PM had also drawn in a lot of party goers.
"You guys should hire some help to alternate shifts. You're burning yourselves out because it's just the two of you. Max has even lost a cup size because of it," Vanessa suggested with a smirk.
"Yeah! A few more weeks, and I'll be as flat as Caroline!" Max retorted, embracing the joke.
Caroline comforted Max, "It'll get better once you finish culinary school. Hiring someone right now is too risky with our finances still unstable."
Max glared at me. "I guess you're right. It's all thanks to him."
Culinary school was my idea, and I paid for her tuition. She's excelled there, thanks to the last two years with me. With my [teacher aura] and the time we've spent together, Max has picked up a lot of new skills, especially in cooking.
"Really? Even after six months?" I asked, feigning disbelief. "Did you try expanding into other businesses and failed, burning your savings?"
Caroline and Max exchanged stunned glances. Silence filled the apartment. I guessed I'd hit a nerve.
My gaze swept around the room, landing on several boxes stacked near the bathroom.
"Let me guess? T-shirt business?" I said, spotting the label on one of the boxes. Max tried to block my view, but she was too late.
"Damn it. I knew we should have burned those," she grumbled.
"We paid good money for them! We're not burning them!" Caroline exclaimed, exasperated.
"What if I paid you to burn them?" I suggested. Caroline looked taken aback. "If the offer is less than twenty thousand dollars, I'll have to decline."
I opened my wallet. "I have four hundred bucks."
"Sold!" Max blurted out excitedly.
"No!" Caroline interjected.
Vanessa and I laughed. I pulled a bag of white powder from my satchel. Max's eyes widened. "Edward! Are we going to party?!"
"We are," I replied casually. Vanessa looked aghast, and Caroline was speechless again. "Cupcake party, since it's just flour," I added, deflating Max's enthusiasm.
"Oh—thank goodness," Caroline breathed, visibly relieved. Vanessa relaxed as well and asked, "Is this the flour from your farm?"
"Yeah, I'm thinking of selling it to Max. They could have a specialty item on their menu." I explained.
Caroline perked up, grabbing the bag from me and handing it to Max. Max, who had just sat down, looked resigned. "I'm not making any more cupcakes tonight!"
"I'm not asking you to. I'm just giving it to you," I smirked.
Vanessa said excitedly, "Max, you won't be disappointed. Ed did his insane science thing as usual and created a new breed of wheat. It's really good."
"If you're going to do insane science stuff, make a zombie virus and unleash it on the world. Not mediocre stuff like new flour," Max teased.
"Why do you think I'm not researching that?" I said playfully. Vanessa and Max laughed, but Caroline looked a little concerned.
"Don't research things like that, Edward. My life has finally gotten back on track, and I still don't have a boyfriend. I don't want the world to end." Caroline said solemnly.
"Too bad!" Max leaned forward, poking fun at Caroline.
After a short discussion, Caroline decided to deliver the cupcakes to the party since they'd already paid half the deposit.
As Caroline packed up, Max asked, "Your dad's getting married next Sunday?"
"Yeah. You're invited."
We had been talking about the ring after I posted a video of it on my Instagram. Max wanted to know more about it when she saw it on Vanessa's finger.
"What about me?" Caroline asked from the kitchen, a hint of expectation in her voice.
I turned to her. "I'm not sure…"
Caroline's face fell, and she mumbled, "So Frankie only invited Max? I thought we were friends."
Vanessa scolded me. Turning to Caroline, she said, "Edward, don't mess with her. Her life already sucks. Caroline, you're invited too. In fact, Frankie needs people to be her bridesmaid."
"ME ME ME! I VOLUNTEER AS BRIDESMAID!" Caroline raised her hand, her voice filled with glee.
"You guys can come with me on my flight back. You'll also need a dress fitting, so measure each other and send the measurements to Haley," I said with a soft smile.
"Haley? Your ex…? Wow, you were so depressed after she dumped you that you terrorized the entire world, yet you're working with her now?" Max said casually.
My eyes widened. I glanced at Vanessa. She looked equally shocked and leaned forward, asking urgently, "He—he was depressed? Terrorized? Explain."
I gestured to Max to stop, drawing a finger across my throat, but Max didn't see it and answered Vanessa's question with a laugh.
"No girl was safe. As far as I know, he hooked up in every country he went to—"
I threw a tissue box at her, cutting her off. "Hey!" Max protested angrily.
Vanessa turned to me, her expression grim. "You never told me that."
"I never did that!" I defended myself. "Max, before you go any further, I need to tell you that Vanessa and I are dating right now—"
"NO! Don't try to shut her up by telling her that! What else did you do during your world tour!? And why did you and Max even visit the red-light district in Europe?!" Vanessa stood up, looking anxious.
"Whoa—whoa—whoa—whoa—" Max, realizing the situation had gone sideways, said quickly, "I was just joking! It's our inside joke. He never did any of that!"
"But you just said–" Vanessa was annoyed, thinking that Max was keeping a secret from her.
"When did people ever take what I said seriously? Most of the stuff that came out of my mouth is crap, everyone knows that." Max said, trying to persuade Vanessa.
Vanessa calmed down a bit and she slowly sat back down, "Umm… Okay then."
"Phew. Thank god I only said what happened between you and other people, not you and me." Max said casually.
"WHAT?!" Vanessa was nervous again.
I grimaced and said, "Nothing ever happened between Max and I. Stop falling for her words."
Max cackled while Vanessa blushed in embarrassment. Caroline shouted from afar, "Max, are you going to let me pack up all the cupcakes by myself?"
"Did you even participate in the making of the cupcakes?" I turned to Caroline and asked curiously.
However, Caroline immediately said, "Never mind. I'll pack it all up…" and acted quite guilty. I stared at her, which seemed to prick her conscience.
Since I knew the hotel owner, I hooked Caroline up with a staff member who would handle setting up the cupcakes for the party. They'd be back in half an hour.
"Edward, don't do anything weird to my place while I'm gone," Max warned teasingly.
"I'm not going to do anything to your place," I said, grimacing and feigning confusion.
Max warned me again, gesturing with her fingers that she was watching me. "And don't do anything with your girlfriend here either. There's only one person who can indulge their sick kinks here, and that person is me."
Max and Caroline left the apartment, shutting the door behind them.
"I am going to see what kind of porn mags Max has underneath her mattress. Wanna come?" I immediately asked Vanessa after they were gone.
"No. I think I'm just going to sit here," Vanessa said, her tone a little downcast.
I sighed and sat down on the couch beside her. "What's wrong?" I asked.
"Nothing," she replied curtly.
"Is what Max said earlier bothering you?" I asked gently.
"No. I'm not that close-minded. I'm not going to care about what you did before we were a couple," Vanessa said, crossing her arms and looking away.
"Your mouth says one thing, but your body language is telling me the opposite," I said, sighing wearily.
"Don't psychoanalyze me," Vanessa grimaced, glancing at me.
"That's not psychoanaly— Never mind. If you're not bothered by what she said, what is the problem?" I asked assertively.
"Come on. Tell me." I touched her arm affectionately, trying to get her to open up. Vanessa's expression shifted a few times before she let out a heavy sigh.
"I guess it bothers me that you guys have so many inside jokes. You're really close with Max," Vanessa admitted.
I waited for her to continue, but she didn't. "That's it?" I asked, confused. "I have a lot of inside jokes with Enid, Alex, and even Jacob. It just means we're best friends."
"Yeah. I realized that. I just hope you'll be that comfortable around me too," Vanessa said, pouting and looking at me with puppy-dog eyes.
Taken aback, I said, "You want me to treat you like Max?... Hmmm… Why don't we test it out, see if you actually like it?"
Vanessa's eyes lit up, and she said excitedly, "Yes! Come on, I'm ready."
"It's banter, I can't just turn it on without a topic," I laughed nervously.
Vanessa slapped my thigh repeatedly, unable to contain her excitement. "I'll start. Um, hey Edward! Whenever you don't sleep for a few days, you look and act like a raccoon."
"Pfft—" I burst into laughter at how absurd it was. "Is that what you think we usually joke about?" I said, holding back my laughter.
"Is it not? I figured it was something like that."
"No, we're more explicit. Like, if your ass became any flatter, it would be—"
"YOU THINK MY ASS IS FLAT?!" Vanessa stood up and snapped. Chestnut was woken up by the sound and peeked his head through the kitchen backdoor.
"See, banter," I said nervously. My phone suddenly rang, but since my girlfriend was mad, I hesitated to answer. However, it was Robin.
"Ness, excuse me for a bit," I said as I walked away from the couch.
"Nice! Walk away from your flat-assed girlfriend! It's not like her butt is taking sooo much space on the couch!" She said sarcastically.
I turned to her in shock. "You might be mad, but you actually did it. Max-type banter."
"What—wait… What?" Vanessa looked confused. I answered the call from Robin; she wouldn't be calling if it wasn't urgent.
"Robin, talk to me," I said hurriedly. Vanessa finally got it and her eyes lit up, "Oh."
Robin said calmly, "Dr. Hofstadter is quitting his job at Caltech. He sent a resume to join the nuclear fusion team, but he's going to do so in four months, and he only wants to become the lead researcher. He also won't settle for a salary less than two hundred and fifty thousand annually."
"The audacity of the guy… Hire him," I said casually. Since his brain was enhanced by NZT, I guess he managed to make some breakthrough and was using it as leverage to get the job. I severely lacked talents around me even with the androids by my side.
Robin added, "We ran out of Helium-3 for the research again. I'm calling because Han Xiao wants to put the research aside and focus more on the moon mining mission."
Han Xiao was the last of the androids I had that became a mechanical lifeform. He's handling my research on nuclear fusion technology and space-mining technology.
I managed to understand the billionaire's obsession with rockets after I became one myself, but maybe our intentions weren't the same.
Helium-3 is extremely rare on Earth. It's present in trace amounts in the atmosphere and natural gas deposits. This scarcity makes pure Helium-3 fusion impractical with current resources.
Right now, we're mostly studying nuclear fusion using Deuterium and Tritium. This reaction produces a lot of neutrons, which make the reactor parts radioactive.
Helium-3 is a byproduct of Tritium decay. Merging Helium-3 with Deuterium gives a cleaner reaction because it produces fewer neutrons. Fewer neutrons mean less radioactivity and easier handling of the reactor materials. It also produces charged particles which are easier to control and use for energy generation.
However, Helium-3 is rare on Earth. If we could mine it from the Moon, we could theoretically fuse Helium-3 with Helium-3. There's millions of tons of it on the moon, carried there by the solar wind.
This would be the cleanest reaction of all, producing no radioactive neutrons. But, it's also the hardest to achieve, requiring much higher temperatures and more advanced technology.
Once we overcome those challenges, Helium-3 fusion could be a game-changer for clean energy. I was already on the verge of sublimating all the technology I had to make the reactor, but I lacked the materials to test my experiments.
In the last two years, I managed to get a few blueprints of spaceships, the most important of them all being the cleaner spaceship called 'The Victory' (A/N: Korean movie called Space Sweepers).
The reason it was so important was because the laws of physics in the universe were the most similar to my universe. I had a breakthrough with artificial gravity and a propulsion engine thanks to the spaceship. But the research for that took me almost ten billion dollars in the span of two years.
"The current reactor capability won't be able to make a two-way trip from the moon and back unless we finish the helium reactor or burn out our only ship with a uranium reactor. We also need to research ways to extract the Helium-3 gas from the moon. We cannot do anything right now without having enough helium-3… which we can only get on the moon. Fuck…"
Robin suddenly said, "Han had a crazy idea. What if we only need a one-way ticket to get to the moon?"
"He's planning to do the research there?" I said flatly, overwhelmed by the sheer audacity of the idea.
After talking with Robin for a while, I returned to my girlfriend, expecting her to still be angry. To my surprise, she seemed to have calmed down.
"What is it? You looked really serious when you were talking to Robin," Vanessa said. She'd heard me say her name multiple times, so she'd figured out who I was talking to.
"It's… My lead researcher is planning a crazy stunt, and I might be left behind."
Concerned, Vanessa said, "Did you goof off and that's why you're being left behind? I'm not the reason, am I?"
"Nothing like that. The guy is just plain crazy," I said calmly. "I think we should take a walk together. There's something I've always wanted to do in New York, but I could never do it alone."
"Huh? A-Alright then," Vanessa stammered a bit before following me as we walked outside into the city.
NYC at night was quite intimidating, especially in the Williamsburg area. Vanessa and I walked into a dark alley, and she hugged my arm, clearly afraid of what might pop out from the shadowy corners.
"Edward, we should go back to Max's," Vanessa said fearfully. "We might get mugged out here," she whispered.
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